


We Might Fall Apart

by ellebellebab



Category: Funhaus RPF
Genre: GTA V AU, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-26
Updated: 2015-04-26
Packaged: 2018-03-25 22:55:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3828010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellebellebab/pseuds/ellebellebab
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Funhaus Crew has a long list of enemies. When one of their own is hit, they're out for blood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Might Fall Apart

**Author's Note:**

> So this started off as a really mean fic of Bruce getting shot (sorry) but then I had all these thoughts and all the different AU ideas (also i felt really bad because bruce is a fucking angel).
> 
> This will be multichaptered and updated once or twice a week!

The day had started out normal enough. The crew were collectively having the weekend off. Lawrence and Adam speeding away on a bike up into the mountains for a little R & R. Joel, Spoole and Peake deciding to spend a few days at the beach, getting in as much sun and relaxation as they could. Meanwhile James and Bruce were content to stay at home. They planned to eat home cooked food for once and play video games until their eyes fell out.

That’s why at 11am on a Saturday Bruce was making his way to the grocery store, not finding it in himself to wake a very content looking James up before he left, instead leaving a note on the pillow next to him.

It was a nice day and the store was close so Bruce walked, smiling as he felt the sunshine caress his face and walking along slowly, no need to rush on a day like today.

But of course life had to shit on every nice thing Bruce had. He’d forgotten that even though his crew had taken the day off that didn’t mean every other crew in the city had. It didn’t get rid of the bounty on his head or the target on his shoulders. And it wasn’t like the Funhaus Crew was careful. They never wore masks, revelling in showing their faces to people, making them scared.

Bruce should have, for these reasons, expected it when he was pulled suddenly into an alleyway, the cold sting of a gun pressed against his back and a hand wrapped tight around his throat.

“We’ve been watching you Greene”

If his windpipe wasn’t being constricted he would have replied with _‘good’_ so they should be, as it were the gun pressed harder against him, the hand squeezing his neck pulling the breath out of him.

“Your crew thinks it can run around like it owns the city without paying its dues? Think you’re all top dogs here?”

Bruce shook his head, if only to alleviate the pressure on his throat, the lack of oxygen in his lungs starting to panic him. He hadn’t even brought a fucking gun, _God_ he was _stupid._

“Well you’re fucking acting like it, so it’s time to send the rest of your crew a message”

Bruce barely had time to blink before his ears were ringing, the sound of the gun going off shocking his senses.

The hand around throat released him and he sucked in a breath, falling to his knees and bringing his hands up to his stomach, marvelling at how quick the blood was starting to spill.

“We’re coming for the rest of them” Bruce heard the mans gruff voice, sinking lower onto the ground as he saw the back of the stranger that shot him, dark jeans, dirty blonde hair and a black, blue and grey jacket all that he could see. Not that it mattered.

He laid for a minute breathing shallowly and wondering why he didn’t feel more pain, he’d been shot before, grazes in the leg, one bullet that lodged itself in his shoulder and they'd had him crying like a baby, he wasn't one for putting up with pain. He’d never been shot from such close range before though, never with _such_ intent to kill.

He felt his vision start to blur and he suddenly panicked, reaching with a heavy hand to his pocket and pulling out his cellphone, dialling and lifting it feebly to his ear.

_“'Lo?”_

“Hey sleepyhead” he was surprised at how stable his voice sounded.

“Hey, where are you? Are you calling me from the kitchen again you lazy ass? Oh wait a note..”

Bruce listened to the sheets rustle as James scrambled for his note, gritting his teeth against the pain that had started to flare from his rapidly bleeding wound.

“Aw you’re so domesticated” James coo'd. Bruce smiled tiredly his head starting to pound uncomfortably.

“You know me. I just wanted to say I love you”

James was quiet for a moment, or maybe Bruce wasn’t able to hear so well, his vision was dipping in and out and blood rushing in his ears.

“…love you too you big softie, you couldn’t wait to get home to say that?”

Bruce smiled, feeling blood start to gather at the back of his throat, he swallowed carefully.

“I could, just don’t say it enough. I really _do_ love you”

“Bruce are you okay? You sound kind of out of breath the grocery store isn’t that far away you're not that unfit.”

“I-I’m fine. Listen you’re going to be so fucking pissed at me, b-but just remember I couldn’t tell you. He might still be watching”

“Bruce what the fuck is going on?”

“You’ll know what I mean. I don’t want him t-to hurt you”

“What are you talking about? Where are you?” he grit his teeth as when he heard the panic in James' voice, the threat of the man who'd shot him at the forefront of his mind.

“I just need y-you to know, I have loved you so _so much_ ”

_“…Bruce”_

“I’m sorry James” Bruce gasped and let the phone fall from his ear, gripping it hard. He felt hot blood seep into his mouth as he coughed and he saw white, the pain in his stomach blinding now and the blood surrounding him pooling out far enough that when he stretched his arm out he still couldn’t reach the edge of it.

All he could think about was James, the warmth of his lips and the sound of his laugh and how he was simultaneously the most annoying and most loveable person Bruce had ever known.

He wished he’d had longer, more time to tell him how much he loved him, to show James that he never wanted to be with anyone else again if it meant falling asleep and waking up next to him everyday.

The pain wasn’t so bad now, quite bearable really. Bruce felt his eyes starting to close, his body start to cool and he thought it might be time to have a little sleep. He kept his eyes on his phone as he started to drift. His wallpaper a picture of James looking happy and loved and smiling at him like he hung the moon.

He took one last shallow breath. He never meant to hurt James.  
  


* * *

 

James' heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest and he sat perfectly still for a moment, his phone still in his hand and his mind racing. It took him another second before he was up and moving, pulling on a pair of jeans and foregoing a shirt completely.  
  


He pondered calling the rest of the guys for a moment but he didn't want to disturb them if it was nothing. Although in his gut, Bruce didn't talk like that for nothing, he knew it wasn't just nothing. He felt faintly sick and didn't hesitate any more as he started running outside.  
  


No one paid him any mind in his shirtless state, the warm Los Santos air the perfect weather for people to strip their clothes off. He ran the route to the grocery store, stopping himself from calling Bruce's name and trying not to take the mans warning too seriously.  
  


There was a chance he was just talking shit, that this was all a ruse to get James riled up. Something in the pit of his stomach told James that wasn't the case, the usual shit Bruce pulled never felt like this, didn't feel like a cold sweat breaking out over his body even though it was 80 degrees outside. He was halfway to the grocery store and he saw the only alleyway between their apartment and the store, panting from exertion he ran into it, equal parts hopeful and terrified.  
  


He couldn't have prepared himself for what was waiting for him. Not in a million years. He stopped still and it felt like everything inside of him had disappeared all at once and he couldn't stop the panic rise quick and sudden in his throat.  
  


“Bruce, Bruce, no, Bruce” he ran to the other man and fell to his knees, aware somewhere in his subconscious of the blood that instantly soaked his jeans, there was just so much blood.  
  


He looked down at the man through tear filled eyes and reached his hands out, one going straight to his pulse, the other pulling him close, pulling Bruce's face into his lap.  
  


“You can't fucking do this Bruce, _gah, what the fuck_ ” somewhere in his clouded mind he tried to make sense of the situation, knowing vaguely that he probably didn't have very much time.  
  


“What would Peake do” he mumbled, thinking for a split second before taking a deep breath, fumbling for his phone and calling an ambulance.  
  


“911 whats your emergency” a bored woman answered and James immediately hated her, how could she be there sitting on her ass in her stupid job sounding bored out of her brains when Bruce was in his arms, practically…  
  


“I need an ambulance to the alley way on Cougar Avenue right now”

“What's the injury?”  
  


James felt himself starting to shake violently, “A man's been shot, he's not responsive he's lost a lot of fucking blood just hurry”  
  


“Okay Sir we'll be there in a little bit”  
  


“No! No, I don't think you heard me, I want you to get off of your fat ass and get the closest fucking ambulance speeding towards me or I promise you I will find out where you live and I will sneak into your house in the middle of the night and I will kill you slowly and painfully. Send the _fucking_ ambulance” James felt his voice go hoarse from the force of his yelling and he panted heavily, holding Bruce close and feeling his angry resolve start to break.  
  


“Please, he's going to die...”  
  


“The closest ambulance is two streets away, they'll be there in a moment Sir” the woman hung up promptly and James didn't blame her, instead he dropped his phone and looked down at Bruce, tears clouding his vision as he tried to get a handle on the situation.  
  


“You're so cold” he murmured, cradling Bruce's head and trying not to let the way the mans head simply lolled from side to side get to him.  
  


“God why didn't you just fucking tell me to come straight here what is wrong with you if you fucking die because you're too stupid to ask for help I'm never going to forgive you.” there wasn't any malice in his words, he simply needed to do something to stop his teeth from chattering, he felt like every move he made he was closer to shattering into a thousand tiny pieces.  
  


He focused on looking over Bruce's face, drinking in every one of his features like it was the first time he'd ever met him.  
  


“You know I always thought it would be the other way round, I'm the stupid one, not you, you're always so fucking careful. Always so protective of all of us, and I just let this happen to you.” he let out a broken sob, leaning down and pressing his lips to the other man's forehead, rocking back and forth slowly, “Please don't leave me Bruce.” His head perked up suddenly when he heard the sirens of an ambulance, quickly coming towards them.  
  


It pulled up behind him and he held onto Bruce, yelling words he himself couldn't really understand as they got the stretched out and quickly, professionally, loaded Bruce onto it. James didn't even know when they'd pulled the man from his grasp. He watched as paramedics started to work on Bruce, tubes and paddles and needles flying everywhere.  
  


“...hurt?” James suddenly centered his vision on the person standing in front of him.  
  


“Are you hurt?” the paramedic was checking him over quickly and all James could do was shake his head dumbly.  
  


“Can you follow us to the hospital?” another nod. James saw the worried look in the paramedics eyes and he shook himself out of his stupor.  
  


“I'll drive there just go please”  
  


And then in a flurry of sirens and lights and one last look at Bruce in the back of the ambulance James was alone.  
  


He stood stock still for a moment, eyes open but unseeing, quiet and calm, until a fresh wave of sadness overtook him and he broke.  
  


He screamed until his throat was raw and it hurt and he thinks he punched the wall next to him if the grazes on his knuckles are anything to go by. But it felt good, rejuvenated him enough for him to get his ass back into gear as he started sprinting back to the apartment.  
  


He got a few more looks this time, though he was sure it was because people didn't often see a running half naked man also covered in blood.  
  


Once inside he worked quickly, not washing simply putting on some fresh pants and a shirt, grabbing his bike keys and his phone charger before running out again. It felt like he was on auto pilot. When he arrived at the hospital he realised he didn't even remember driving.  
  


He walked to the information desk and the lady behind it eyed him warily, maybe he should have washed the blood off of his arms.  
  


“Can I help you?”  
  
  
“A man was just brought in, gun shot in the stomach..”  
  


She smiled at him gently, “I know the one dear, guy with the beard? He a friend”  
  


'He's my everything' James thought, “Uh yeah, best friend. Do you know anything.”  
  


“I'll get a doctor to come out and let you know what's happening okay?”  
  


James simply nodded, not sure if the ball of dread in his stomach could get any heavier.  
  


The doctor was out quick thank god, and James clenched and unclenched his fists.  
  


“Hello I'm Doctor Abdine, you're our patients friend?”  
  


“Yeah, James, is he okay?”  
  


“Lets take a seat”  
  


James sat immediately, not liking where the conversation was going.  
  


“The bullet that hit your friend was shot at very close range, we'd guess that it was practically pressed up against him, maybe a mugging or something?”  
  


James nodded dumbly but his head was whirring with the faces of everyone they'd ever pissed off, the list of people that would do this to one of them was kind of long.  
  


“Well the bullet did hit a few major arteries, hence the amount of blood that paired with how long he was bleeding out for it's taking a little while to get him stable.”  
  


“But you will, right you'll fix him?”  
  


The doctor smiled at him warmly, “We're going to try, we're just getting as much blood into him as we can and trying to get that heart a little stronger okay?”  
  


James knew when he was being pacified but he was willing to take it for the time being so he nodded trying to ignite a spark of hope inside himself.  
  


“I'll keep you updated James”  
  


“ _Thank you_ ”  
  


Suddenly he was alone, his mind still racing as he tried to figure out who could have done it, who could have tried to kill Bruce, who could have gotten that close.  
  


He felt his phone vibrate and he scrambled for it, his throat constricting when he saw Adam's caller ID pop up how could he have forgotten to call the others?  
  


“James?”  
  


“Adam” he rasped, more aware now of how much his screaming session had ripped his throat apart.  
  


“Hey, man you wouldn't believe how pretty it is here I don't know how Lawrence found this spot but really we all have to come here sometime.”  
  


“That sounds really good” James couldn't keep his voice from breaking when his immediate thought was that maybe Bruce wouldn't be joining them.  
  


“You sound like shit? I thought we were meant to be relaxing what have you and Bruce been doing?”  
  


“It's really bad Adam” he choked out.  
  


“What? James what's happened are you okay?”  
  


“I need you guys to come to the hospital.”  
  


“James what's going on? Where's Bruce?”  
  


James could hear Lawrence in the background, echoing Adam's question and he squeezed his eyes shut, pressing his palm to his forehead and sighing.  
  


“Someone shot him, please just come to the hospital?”  
  


“Okay, okay we're leaving now we'll be there soon.”  
  


“Thank you”  
  


James hung up and took a deep shuddering breath before typing in Joel's number.  
  


* * *

  
James has never known relief like the amount of it he felt when he saw Joel, Spoole and Matt turn up. All looking a little more sun kissed but not anywhere near as relaxed as they should be after spending the weekend at the beach.  
  


Joel hugged James instantly and he sagged against him, the pressure of the past few hours feeling a little lighter now that he wasn't the only one dealing with it.  
  


“I haven't heard much” he said softly, shaking his head when Joel asked.  
  


He saw Matt eye the blood dried on his hands and arms and he gave a hopeless one armed shrug, “There was just so much blood”  
  


Adam and Lawrence entered a few seconds later, eyes frantic and searching for the rest of them, a little sigh of relief escaping James' mouth when he realised they were all together now, maybe now they'd be okay.  
  


They sat in the waiting room and James explained what happened, recalling the phone conversation and what the doctor had told him, Matt had gotten up towards the end of it and came back with some antibacterial wipes and a bandage and grabbed James' hand, wiping the blood from it and cleaning up his knuckles.  
  


“I think I punched a wall” he said, wondering what parts of the afternoon were real when it all seemed like such a nightmare when he'd repeated it.  
  


“We need to find out who the fuck did this” Adam said, James gave him a shrug.  
  


“Our list of enemies is kind of long Adam I don't really know how we can narrow it down without Bruce telling us what he saw.” Lawrence sighed, placing his head in his hands.  
  


James stared at a stain on the wall, comforted by Matt's tender touch and the warm presence of Joel sitting next to him, the man grabbing his other hand and squeezing hard.  
  


“All we can do is wait.”  
  


“I don't want to wait Spoole that guy could be fucking anywhere by now” Adam said, standing up and running a hand through his hair in frustration.  
  


“He'd expect Bruce to be dead by now I don't think he's gone to far.” they all looked at James but he continued to stare at the wall, trying to keep his breathing calm and even. His head was starting to hurt.  
  


Adam sat back down, resting his head against Lawrence's shoulder and letting out a deep breath.  
  


“We wait”  
  


“We wait” Matt repeated, finishing up James' bandage and sitting back when Spoole sat down next to him.  
  


The clock ticked by and the seconds felt like decades.  
  


* * *

  
They'd been at the hospital for 7 hours. Spoole and Joel had both fallen asleep. Adam had consumed three cups of shitty vending machine coffee and James just stared at the wall.

 

“We should ask what's happening” Lawrence said he'd been pacing for an hour, back and forth across the room. James wasn't sure why he found it comforting.  
  


“They'll tell us if something happens” Matt said with a yawn, shifting in his seat minutely so not to wake up Spoole.  
  


“If it's bad news I don't want to know” they were looking at him again, James could feel his skin prickle with it and he felt his eyes sting.  
  


Suddenly Doctor Abdine was standing in front of him and James felt like he was going to burst. The rest of the men sat down around him and he stared up at the Doctor, trying to gauge the situation.  
  


“Hello James”  
  


“Doctor. These are…my friends” he said, nodding to everyone else.  
  


The doctor smiled and sat down on the coffee table in front of them, he looked tired.  
  


“Bruce is stable for now”  
  


James felt weak. He pressed his palms to his eyes when they burned, the doctors words echoing in his achy head as the weight of the words sunk in. Bruce was still there, he was still alive.  
  


“For now?”  
  


The doctor smiled at Lawrence nodding, “His blood loss was severe, the person who shot him knew exactly where to aim the gun to cause the most damage. The bullet hit him in the liver which is tricky but we removed most of the damage. There was a lot of blood loss though, he was only just breathing when he was brought in, we won't really know until he wakes up, but the surgery went fine, his wound should heal over time.”  
  


Joel was openly crying next to him and James wasn't surprised when he launched himself at the doctor. He didn't blame him for patting Joel awkwardly on the top of the head.  
  


“Joel leave the man alone” Adam said, Doctor Abdine turned to them seriously then, leaning in towards James.  
  
  
“Listen, he has lacerations on his neck and with the angle of the bullet and how closely it was fired, this really seems like it was a premeditated attack.”  
  


He looked around at all the guys before sighing.  
  


“I've lived in Los Santos all my life, I've been a doctor in this hospital for 20 years, I've seen it all, I know what happens out there to some degree. But a lot of men have died on that table with no one out here waiting for them. Just be careful okay?”  
  


James nodded, feeling his throat tighten at the doctors words and wondering when he was going to stop wanting to cry at everything everyone was saying.  
  


Abdine looked at them one more time before nodding and standing up.  
  


“I can take you to his room, he's still in what we'd call a medically induced coma, his brain function is looking quite normal though so we're hoping he'll wake up sooner rather than later.”  
  


They all stood quickly, trailing after the doctor not saying a word. James was grateful when he felt Matt's hand grab onto his.  
  


“Stay as long as you like, but you should definitely eat something and get some rest now” James knew the doctor was speaking mostly to him so he nodded, appreciative of Adam when he said thank you, he wasn't sure he could make his voice work.  
  


The doctor left them at the door to Bruce's room and Lawrence pushed it open, emitting a sharp intake of breath heard when he saw the hospital bed.  
  


James was actually thankful for it, for the tubes and wires sticking out of Bruce and the hospital gown and sheets. It painted a much better picture in his mind than the lifeless body pouring with blood he'd seen hours before.  
  


They sat mostly in silence. Each of them around the bed and touching Bruce in some way, lost in their thoughts the only sound the beeping of different machines around the room.  
  


“James you should go shower, get some rest” Adam said quietly, he didn't take his eyes off of Bruce. His voice had a tone of finality in it. Things were pretty equal in their crew, all of them had a say and they all got along so well that they didn't usually have to pull rank. But James knew this was leader Adam talking. He didn't really want to let Bruce out of his sight again, but he knew Adam was right.  
  


“I'll come with you” Matt said, “The car's outside” Adam nodded and James rose, looking down at Bruce and pressing a kiss to his cheek before following Matt out.  
  


He was grateful for Matt's presence, he didn't attempt to talk to fill in the silence and James rested his head against the car window, closing his eyes and trying to comprehend the last 12 hours without having a complete break down.  
  


He went straight to the shower when they got back to the apartment, scrubbing at his skin until all the blood had washed down the drain and his skin felt raw, then he just stood.  
  


The warm spray was refreshing and he turned it up, the feeling of the scalding water making him feel something more than numb like he had all day. He jumped when the shower door slid open, Matt reaching in and turning off the water before pressing a towel into his hands.  
  


“You'll burn yourself, come eat something” was all he said before he left the room.  
  


James towelled himself off before moving to his and Bruce's bedroom. He slipped some clothes on and sat on the edge of the bed, staring at one of Bruce's shirts on the ground before picking it up and pressing it to his face. It smelt so much like him that it had his head spinning and he fell back against the mattress, choking out a sob and feeling too many things at once.  
  


Matt came in at some point and crawled onto the bed, pulling James up against the pillows and holding him against his chest and James cried until his head was thick with it and his eyes were so heavy all he could do was close them and sleep blissfully deep and dreamless.  
  


* * *

  
He woke up hours later, mouth thick and eyes dry to a hand gently shaking him.

 

“James? James wake up”  
  


“What's wrong?” his voice was non existent and he tried to clear it, looking up at a smiling Matt and narrowing his eyes.  
  


“Joel called, Bruce is awake.”  
  


_Relief._

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Please give me feedback on this! I really have fallen in love with this AU and I'm always up for talking headcannons or answering questions about this universe on here or Tumblr if you have them! <3


End file.
